Helping you to be a WellOne.

Browse A-Z

Pulmonary tuberculosis

TB; Tuberculosis - pulmonary; Mycobacterium - pulmonary

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.

Causes

Pulmonary TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M tuberculosis). TB is contagious. This means the bacteria is easily spread from an infected person to someone else. You can get TB by breathing in air droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person. The resulting lung infection is called primary TB.

Most people recover from primary TB infection without further evidence of the disease. The infection may stay inactive (dormant) for years. In some people, it becomes active again (reactivates).

Most people who develop symptoms of a TB infection first became infected in the past. In some cases, the disease becomes active within weeks after the primary infection.

The following people are at higher risk of active TB or reactivation of TB:

Older adults

Infants

People with weakened immune systems, for example due to HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, diabetes, or medicines that weaken the immune system

HIV/AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. When a person becomes infected with HIV, the virus attacks and weakens the immune ...

Biopsy

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to cure the infection with medicines that fight the TB bacteria. Active pulmonary TB is treated with a combination of many medicines (usually 4 medicines). The person takes the medicines until lab tests show which medicines work best.

You may need to take many different pills at different times of the day for 6 months or longer. It is very important that you take the pills the way your provider instructed.

When people do not take their TB medicines like they are supposed to, the infection can become much more difficult to treat. The TB bacteria can become resistant to treatment. This means the medicines no longer work.

If a person is not taking all the medicines as directed, a provider may need to watch the person take the prescribed medicines. This approach is called directly observed therapy. In this case, medicines may be given 2 or 3 times a week.

You may need to stay at home or be admitted to a hospital for 2 to 4 weeks to avoid spreading the disease to others until you are no longer contagious.

Your provider is required by law to report your TB illness to the local health department. Your health care team will ensure that you receive the best care.

Support Groups

You can ease the stress of illness by joining a support group. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you feel more in control.

Support group

The following organizations are good resources for information on lung disease:American Lung Association -- www. lung. orgNational Heart, Lung, and B...

Outlook (Prognosis)

Symptoms often improve in 2 to 3 weeks after starting treatment. A chest x-ray will not show this improvement until weeks or months later. Outlook is excellent if pulmonary TB is diagnosed early and effective treatment is started quickly.

Possible Complications

Pulmonary TB can cause permanent lung damage if not treated early. It can also spread to other parts of the body.

Liver inflammation

A vision test may be done before start of treatment so your provider can monitor any changes in the health of your eyes.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your provider if:

You think or know you have been exposed to TB

You develop symptoms of TB

Your symptoms continue despite treatment

New symptoms develop

For more information on testing, diagnostic, surgical and treatment services available at Huron Regional Medical Center, click here. The medical staff at HRMC includes full-time primary and specialty physicians to care for your whole family, as well as visiting specialists who see patients in HRMC'S Specialty Clinic, HRMC Physicians Clinic and other local clinics. Learn more by visiting our online Find-a-Doc directory.

Prevention

TB is preventable, even in those who have been exposed to an infected person. Skin testing for TB is used in high risk populations or in people who may have been exposed to TB, such as health care workers.

People who have been exposed to TB should have a skin test as soon as possible and have a follow-up test at a later date, if the first test is negative.

A positive skin test means you have come into contact with the TB bacteria. It does not mean that you have active TB or are contagious. Talk to your provider about how to prevent getting TB.

Prompt treatment is very important in preventing the spread of TB from those who have active TB to those who have never been infected with TB.

Some countries with a high incidence of TB give people a vaccine called BCG to prevent TB. But, the effectiveness of this vaccine is limited and it is not usually used in the United States.

People who have had BCG may still be skin tested for TB. Discuss the test results (if positive) with your provider.

Tuberculosis in the kidney - illustration

Kidneys can be damaged by tuberculosis. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but may cause infection in many other organs in the body. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Tuberculosis in the kidney

illustration

Tuberculosis in the lung - illustration

Tuberculosis is caused by a group of organisms, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M bovis, M africanum and a few other rarer subtypes. Tuberculosis usually appears as a lung (pulmonary) infection. However, it may infect other organs in the body. Recently, antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis have appeared. With increasing numbers of immunocompromised individuals with AIDS, and homeless people without medical care, tuberculosis is seen more frequently today. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Tuberculosis in the lung

illustration

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays - illustration

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation, the formation of tubercles and other growths within tissue, and can cause tissue death. These chest x-rays show advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. There are multiple light areas (opacities) of varying size that run together (coalesce). Arrows indicate the location of cavities within these light areas.
The x-ray on the left clearly shows that the opacities are located in the upper area of the lungs toward the back. The appearance is typical for chronic pulmonary tuberculosis but may also occur with chronic pulmonary histiocytosis and chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis is making a comeback with new resistant strains that are difficult to treat. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of the disease, but other organs can be infected.

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays

illustration

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray - illustration

This x-ray shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the upper right lung (seen as a light area on the left side of the picture). The nodule has distinct borders (well-defined) and is uniform in density. Tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases can cause this type of lesion.

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray

illustration

Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan - illustration

This CT scan shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the right lung. This nodule is seen as the light circle in the upper portion of the dark area on the left side of the picture. A normal lung would look completely black in a CT scan.

Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan

illustration

Miliary tuberculosis - illustration

Miliary tuberculosis is characterized by a chronic, contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that has spread to other organs of the body by the blood or lymph system.

Miliary tuberculosis

illustration

Tuberculosis of the lungs - illustration

Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial disease that primarily involves the lungs. Tuberculosis may develop after inhaling infected droplets sprayed into the air from a cough or sneeze of someone infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis of the lungs

illustration

Erythema nodosum associated with sarcoidosis - illustration

This picture shows reddish-purple, hard (indurated), painful nodules (erythema nodosum) that occur most commonly on the shins. These lesions may be anywhere on the body and may be associated with tuberculosis (TB), sarcoidosis, coccidioidomycosis, systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), fungal infections, or in response to medications.

Erythema nodosum associated with sarcoidosis

illustration

Respiratory system - illustration

Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.

Respiratory system

illustration

Tuberculin skin test - illustration

The tuberculin skin test is performed to evaluate whether a person has been exposed to tuberculosis. If there has been a prior exposure, antibodies are formed and remain in the body. During the skin test, the tuberculosis antigen is injected under the skin and if antibodies are present, the body will have an immune response. There will be an area of inflammation at the site of the injection.

Tuberculin skin test

illustration

Tuberculosis in the kidney - illustration

Kidneys can be damaged by tuberculosis. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but may cause infection in many other organs in the body. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Tuberculosis in the kidney

illustration

Tuberculosis in the lung - illustration

Tuberculosis is caused by a group of organisms, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M bovis, M africanum and a few other rarer subtypes. Tuberculosis usually appears as a lung (pulmonary) infection. However, it may infect other organs in the body. Recently, antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis have appeared. With increasing numbers of immunocompromised individuals with AIDS, and homeless people without medical care, tuberculosis is seen more frequently today. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Tuberculosis in the lung

illustration

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays - illustration

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation, the formation of tubercles and other growths within tissue, and can cause tissue death. These chest x-rays show advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. There are multiple light areas (opacities) of varying size that run together (coalesce). Arrows indicate the location of cavities within these light areas.
The x-ray on the left clearly shows that the opacities are located in the upper area of the lungs toward the back. The appearance is typical for chronic pulmonary tuberculosis but may also occur with chronic pulmonary histiocytosis and chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis is making a comeback with new resistant strains that are difficult to treat. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of the disease, but other organs can be infected.

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays

illustration

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray - illustration

This x-ray shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the upper right lung (seen as a light area on the left side of the picture). The nodule has distinct borders (well-defined) and is uniform in density. Tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases can cause this type of lesion.

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray

illustration

Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan - illustration

This CT scan shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the right lung. This nodule is seen as the light circle in the upper portion of the dark area on the left side of the picture. A normal lung would look completely black in a CT scan.

Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan

illustration

Miliary tuberculosis - illustration

Miliary tuberculosis is characterized by a chronic, contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that has spread to other organs of the body by the blood or lymph system.

Miliary tuberculosis

illustration

Tuberculosis of the lungs - illustration

Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial disease that primarily involves the lungs. Tuberculosis may develop after inhaling infected droplets sprayed into the air from a cough or sneeze of someone infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis of the lungs

illustration

Erythema nodosum associated with sarcoidosis - illustration

This picture shows reddish-purple, hard (indurated), painful nodules (erythema nodosum) that occur most commonly on the shins. These lesions may be anywhere on the body and may be associated with tuberculosis (TB), sarcoidosis, coccidioidomycosis, systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), fungal infections, or in response to medications.

Erythema nodosum associated with sarcoidosis

illustration

Respiratory system - illustration

Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.

Respiratory system

illustration

Tuberculin skin test - illustration

The tuberculin skin test is performed to evaluate whether a person has been exposed to tuberculosis. If there has been a prior exposure, antibodies are formed and remain in the body. During the skin test, the tuberculosis antigen is injected under the skin and if antibodies are present, the body will have an immune response. There will be an area of inflammation at the site of the injection.